The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-05-26

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Noted Men who Have Lived There-Rugrles
GsDiD, the Cowsps and Kenn0ns.
Correspondence Of The Cincinnati Timts.Star.
ST.. CLAInsvlLLE, o., May GA cyclone
which swept over this old village a few
weeks, destroyed tho old home OF or
American statesman, long since forgotten
Benjamin. Ruggles, who was Senator from
Ohio eighteen years, from 1916 until 1929
Yet lew years ago in party OF Ohio pol
iticlans, Gen. Durbln Ward asked II any,
one could tell him OF Senator Rlggles
One distinguished lawyer said he was Sen,
ator from Connecticut, another that he
was from Maine, and 30 on, no answer be.
ing correct. A few dayB ago the came dis,
cueson came up. and I have thought Il
worth while TO write u few lines about one
OF three Senators from Ohio who have
served over two terms.
For there have boon but three-Rng.
giles, Wade and eherman-who have
served over the two term limit, | have
found 1t difficult to learn much Of Bepis-
min Rugglea, whose ability, or popularity,
perhaps both, gave him 10 long an expe.
rience in the American Senate. His ca.
reer is the more remarkable as he had
never been in Congress, nor even in The
Ohio Legislature. Born in Windham,
Conn.,, in 1868. he had fair education,
taught school, studied law, and then came
West, beginning his professional career at
| Marietta.
He did not remain here long, but went
north 10 st. Cairsville, Which was named
in honor OF Gov. St. Clair. This old war.
rior WIS partial to French names, and in
the formation OF new counties gave them
name OF his own aelection, Belmont be.
ing from the French and meaning besuti.
full mountain. To this village came Rug.
giles shortly after st. Clair had created the
ninth county Of the Territory. Here Rug.
giles lived and died. He was a quiet man
without preteuBs and simost without in.
terest in politics. He was in 1910 Ptesi.
dent Judge Of the Third judicial Circuit,
and this is his only claim for fame as an
otlice holder before his election to the
United States Senate.
lie was elected as Democrat, but in
1886 he WIS au elector on the Harrison
ticket. He seems to have cut no crest
figure in Congress, and alter his retire
nent from public life went into retire
ment in fact. LIE lived on small farm
near the village, and cana in every day
Tor the mail and to do some shopping. Old
residents here swho remembcs him call
him Judge-a tito which oncs given A
man clings to him forsYer.
Ru9YIe. vas an aestYe Nissan and was
buried with Lf-OAN: honors in tho old
graveyard OF St. U!alraviI!e, where to-day
the visitor may Dee upon plain old grave
stone simple inscription, with no refer
eEce TO the illustrious aerrice OF BENJAMIN
Ruggles. He died rs no had lived, snd
| WAS buried by the MG2nnic brethren with
whom he had been 60 long associated.
General B. K, Cowen, OF Cincinnati, was
OF that time an editor here and Master OF
the Lodge.
The funeral was one OF the largest
known, and WAS under the charge OF Gen
eral Cowan, then young man, but very
active in Masonic m@tteru. Ruggles hea
bsen described 10 me as tall, but stopped
shouluered, and while not etrikiugly i'm.
pressive, very genial aud winning. lie
never displayed any interest in local poll.
tics, refusing all entreates to take tho
honor oil local otlicea. He survived his
second Wits, who had beUn married before
also, snd by he. be- had g con who ia still
llviDg-an old man-wAog0 life has not
been 30 honorable or circumapeci rs that
OF his father.
This Ron wcs sent to tho peniten.iary
ior aoms crlma and Laa sincs filled to con
vince the community Of his usefulness OIL
esIth. Ills mana ia Solomon Kellogg
RuggIes and he was aoldier III the Mexj.
caa wsr. 4 srepriBughtor OF the Senator
married Dr., G. q. Carroll, once famous
physician here. He died and his widow
married Ray. Noitatt, u Presby terino c!er.
pymsn. She is still ii7ing. 4 sister of
Benjamin kGegies Tas the grandmother
OF FranCIs SESSIONS, @ bRuker and nutho.
| OF Columbus.
4 queer genius, who hRs lived here all
his HE, SsS IhUs. II. G0nin, m cratic
Frenchmsn, Of whom tho gtcGico. variety
Of etorieB are told.
Genin in eEriy lif9 becsmA a lawyer. Ha
WEE, rs he citeT AHid Of himrali-"An nc.
cusaio lgwyer"-brt he never practced
his profession, prctttnnH 10 roll up 4
mountain oil wealth aud keep il with
miseTly care, for Geuin lived and died
nisor. Ills wealth WA estimated Mt
nearly a million. He wrote constantly
for the prGBP, ard his contributions were
teIroriainG TO the Conposit0rs, lie was
worgo than Horace Greeley, Boss or
Charley Flood, thr2o eminent editors no.
led FOR horrible Chirosraphy. GgNiu wrote
Oh the backs Of eaVeiOppa on b1th aidea OF
tho paper and along the etgCs. Ono day
aller q terrific Gtruggla With some OF tho
old mans copy Gen. Cowcp, then prin-
tern apprentice, gont GeEin quiro OF pa.
pcr--a hint thai he phoud nee it liberslly
| for MSS. and mol ittlict ouch atutt upon
the typoa, The old man caurc down in a
rage declaring it TO he msliCtouN Insult
and ir6isting thGL hia careful and terrible
eCribbling Oh ec!ap9 OF paper wac only Il
"deCent and BcnGihlo frugality."
| Gunln mad q nephew in New York, 4
EuccptsiI! merchant, who Tss personal
friend ul I. RArnum when the Bhow-
man wea III great favor, Genin brought
Barnum out tn REQ tho cratic old uncle.
| Tbs old nan wanted to show como extra
courteBy TO go great character % Bar.
mum and going 10 old lnNn IIsrrip, tho
Villages iinHmi'i, begged tho I0Ru al tin
wssh.hasin, TO he used solely by Barnum
during hin visit. Geuin promined that
the basin would bn dried alter each wash
| ing and rstGyaed i4a. a8 good az nov.
This Is only u aamplo Of the old mans
eccentric HtrRlnpaa.
lie wrote HI epic poem longer than tho
Iliad" or "pNrnblsr LoBt," calling it"The
Napo!eal," it being IN honor OF Napoleon
|. 1t 10 seldom seen and never roAd, uavo
Hs literary curioHity. Yot it has some
mOriL. lnappNRIanco Geniu Was utrikinH.
His French frRturgB reminded ono OF Vol.
,airo'H portraits, and bio forehead wnB cx.
pansivo il retrcating. His big eyebrows,
white hair and sharp, long noso made up
A face which WIN not noon forgotten. His